In a message dated 99-07-24 12:27:32 EDT, ARhodes@compuserve.com writes:
<< On the way home, it did it again, but this time twiddling did nothing.
I almost needed a tow, but it came back, possibly due to a little more
fiddling elsewhere.
WHat do you think is going on, where, and what do I do?
Here is what I did to get it working, (if it had anything to do with it)
I pushed and pulled the spade connections of the two wires on the starter
solenoid. Immediately after, the systems were working. Is this the
solution,
or am I fooling myself?
>>
Tony,
With an event like your's which disabled the entire electrical system all at
once, I would concentrate on the main voltage supply (battery) and work
towards ground, the fuse box and ignition switch. If you can get access to
an auto battery load tester, you can quickly prove or rule out the internal
integrity (open or shorted) of the battery. If the battery is okay, then you
can start searching for the culprit from the battery outward - you'll be
looking for corroded terminals, frayed battery post connectors, lose
connectors, broken wires, kinked wires, crossed wires with abrated or melted
insulation.....
If you had lost only ignition or only lights or only turn signals during the
power failure, you could assume that the battery, post connections, cables
were probably OK. One other idea (which I can't support the accuracy of
because I'm at work and don't have the Spit Service Manual to prove my idea)
is a faulty circuit breaker which may be located somewhere in the main power
feed possibly ahead of the fuse block. I don't think LBCs of 60's vintage
used them but I could certainly be wrong and a PO may have installed one!
As a precaution, when I bought my Spit, I replaced both battery cables,
cleaned every ground point I could locate, cleaned every spade and lug
connection (especially at the starter relay and fuse block) I could get my
hands on, cleaned all of the exterior lamp socket terminals and did a visual
check of the wiring (insulation, routing away from heat, etc). It didn't
take long to do...it's a lot easier than troubleshooting on a dark-n-stormy
night!
Good luck - don't forget to give us the cure when you find it so we can
update our "tech files".
Chip Krout
'76 TR6 CF57822U (Being Reborn For Y2K)
'70 Spit MkIII FDU78512L (Decent Driver)
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